Detail from 'The decorated opening of Ippolita's copy of Cicero's treatise on old age, written by her aged 14, and bearing her motto, emblem and an abbreviated form of her name; Milan, 1458: Add MS 21984, f. 3r.'
From essay "Ippolita Sforza, A Renaissance Education" Calum Cockburn. "Ippolita Maria (d. 1488) was a noblewoman born into the influential Sforza family, then rulers of the duchy of Milan..."
From "Shajar al-Durr, Sultan of Egypt by Shazia Jagot" essay/ chapter.
"Shajar al-Durr an epithet meaning "Tree of Pearls was the first Mamluk sultan and woman ruler to reign across Egypt and Syria."
A medieval ale seller!
In February 1477, at the village of Topcroft in Norfolk, Margery Brews dictated a letter to her suitor John Paston III, calling him her 'right well-beloved valentine' and expressing the depth of her love. While John's reply to Margery does not survive, her words form the oldest known Valentine's letter in English.... (From the chapter by Calum Cockburn)
"Satan instructing a group of witches in sorcery, from The Pilgrimage of the Life of Man; England, 15th century: Cotton MS Tiberius A VII/1, f. 70r"
"St Clare and a group of nuns mourning St Francis of Assisi, from The Life and Miracles of St Francis of Assisi; Freiburg, 1478: Add MS 15710, f. 184v."
Reminds me of Lucie Attwell!
"An anchoress entering her cell, from a Pontifical including an order for the enclosure of anchoresses; England, 15th century: Lansdowne MS 451, f. 76v."
"The author Christine de Pizan instructing her son, from 'The Book of the Queen'; Paris, c. 1410-14: Harley MS 4431/2, f. 261v."
Colophon of Estellina Conat, from her printed edition of Jedaiah Ben Abraham Bedersi's Behinat ha-'Olam; Mantua, 1476-80
The first known female Hebrew printer/ typesetter and one of the first known female printers in any language.
Lovely exhibit, so many beautiful books to look at... plus plenty in the shop too!
Medieval Women: Voices & Visions: The Book of the British Library Exhibition | 
